Calculating-machine.



A. F. DODSON.

CALCULATING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 6. I911.

Patentad Feb. 12,1918.

2 SHEET$$HEET l.

fLFDodsarz Gtl'ouwq A. F. DODSON.

CALCULATING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 6. 1911.

1,256,213. Patented Feb. 12,1918.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

OOOOOOOOOOOO e QM a ALCAIDA l DODSON, OF MILAN, MISSOURI.

CALCULATING-MACHINE.

Application filed March 6,

To all whom it may concern Be it known that l, Atomx F. Donsoiv, a citizen of the United St tes residing at Milan, in the county of .fluilivan and State of Missouri, have inve at certain new and useful Improvements in (lalculating-lliachines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to apparatus for measuring a desi ,o number of units, such as yards or fractions thereof, of cloth or the like, and for automatically calculating the cost of the cloth or the like thus me, surcd, at a given price per 1 or yard.

I am aware of th that machines have heretofore been coi ruci'ed embodying the broad combination or means to measure cloth and means to calculate the cost of the measured cloth, at a given pr ce per yard. However, such machines, as r as I am aware, are of complicated construction, cumbersome, and cannot be c-zmveniently operated in a store.

The machine embodying my invention consists of the combination of the measuring means and calculating means, but the different elements eiz-ibodied in these means are so arranged that a machine is produced, having as a whole, new and unexpected results and advantage The several parts of my machine are so o 1 .ilcd and arranged that the machine may be attached to a counter and will tal up very little space, the body portion of the machine being preferably disposed flus with the counte The calculating mechanism arranged in the body portion of the in hine and the range of calculation is accord] y great, as ample space may be atforded oy increasing the length of the body portion. The only portion of the machine which need project above the counter is the measuring wheel to engage the cloth and the counting device for indicating the number of yards of cloth which have been measured while this arrangement may be varied, if desired. By this arrangement the top of the counter is not unduly obstructed, and the operator may handle the cloth in an expeditious and convenient manner. My construction is characterized by its extreme simplicity, inexpensiveness to manufacture, and is adapted to successfully compete with other more or less similar devices in a highly crowded art.

Other objects and advantages of my in Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb; 12, 1918. 1917. Serial No. 152,755.

vention will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the aecon'ipanying drawings forming a part of this specification, and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a machire embodying my invention,

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same,

Fig. 8 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 5,

Fig. 4 is a plan view of a wheel removed,

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 2, and,

Fig. 6 is a fragmentar 7 plan view of a calculating sheet or element.

In the drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration. is shown a preferred embodiment of my invention, the numeral. 10 desig nates a main casing or body portion, which is approximately Ll-shaped in cross-section and has a preferably flat top 11. As clearly shown in Fig. 1, this main casing is adapted to be arranged in an opening or recess 12, formed in a counter 13, with the flat top 11 thereof preferably flush with the upper face of the counter 1st. The main casing 10 may be held in place by brackets 15, secured thereto and to the counter 13, while it is to be understood that any other suitable means may be employed to retain the casing in place.

T he preferably flat top 11 is provided with a longitudinal opening or slot 16, lnwing a scale 17 arranged upon one side thereof, such scale containing figures 18, designating the price per unit or yard of the cloth or fabric, to be measured.

Arranged within the main casing 10 is calculating mechanism, comprising an upper roll 19, disposed beneath and adjacent the opening or slot- 16. This upper roll is secured to a shaft 20, for rotation therewith, and the shaft 20 has its ends journaled in earings 21, carried by the ends of the casing 10. Arranged beneath the upper roll 19 within the main casing 10 is a lower roll 22, rotatably mounted upon a stationary shaft 23, suitably connected with the ends of the casing 10. The lower roll 22 is preferably hollow or tubular for receiving a coil spring 24, one end of which is connected with the stationary shaft 23 and the other end with the roll 22. This springv tends boautomatlcally turn or rotate the roll 22 clockwise, as indicated by the arrow thereon. Connected with the rolls 19 and 22 is a calculating chart 24:, preferably formed of cloth, paper or other suitable material. This calculating chart is vertically and horizontally ruled by lines 25 and 20, forming transverse columns 27, for receiving calculations in proper sequence. It is obvious that the transverse columns 2? correspond in arrangement to the figures 18 in the scale 17 and these figures serve to designate the columns. When the roll 19 is turned clockwise, in the direction of its arrow, the calculating chart 2i is advanced, thus bringing the calculations in the columns 27 in View through or beneath the slot 16.

Formed upon or carried by one end of the main casing 10 is a vertical preferably cylindrical hcusing 9.8, within which is arranged a vertical shaft 29, journaled through a bearing 30. The vertical shaft 29 is provided at its lower end with a small bevel gear 31, engaging a large bevel gear 32, which is rigidly mounted upon the shaft 20. At its upper end, the shaft is rota tably mounted in an opening 33 formed in a dial 3%. This dial 3 is arranged upon the upper end of the housing '27 and is clamped thereto by means of a ring 35, having screw-threaded engagement therewith. Rigidly connected with the upper end of the shaft 29 is a hand or pointer 36. adapted to travel in proximity to a scale 37. formed upon the dial 3% and indicating the fractions of a yard. The shaft 29 is provided at its upper end with a finger 33, adapted to engage with the tooth of a'counting wheel 39, each time the shaft 29 makes a complete revolution. thereby advancing the wheel 39 one step. The ccunting wheel 39 is arranged beneath and is pivoted to the dial by a pin 40 or the like. and this wheel carries a scale 41 having figures arranger in proper sequence for indicating the number of yards of cloth being measured, such scale being visible through an opening to in the dial. When the shaft 29 has made a complete revolution. the wheel 39 is moved a step, and the 0 of the scale a l is shifted and the 1 will appear within the opening 4-2.

Arranged upon one side of the housing 23 is a measuring wheel or roller 43, horizontally arranged, and rigidly secured to a horizontal shaft 44 disposed at a right angle to the shaft 29. This shaft has a bevel gear 45 rigidly secured thereto, engaging a bevel gear 46, rigidly mounted upon the shaft 20. Arranged beneath the wheel 43 and slightly spaced therefrom is a horizontal preferably resilient plate 47. secured to the side of the housing :28. as shown at 48.

The operation of the apparatus is as follows:

The spring 2% normally retains the ele ments of the machine in the starting position, or will return the same to such position whereby 0 will appear in the opening 42 and the pointer 36 will be arranged adjacent l of the scale 37. The 0 in each of the transverse columns 2? will appear in the opening 16, adjacent its corresponding price cha *acter 18. The operator now opens the bolt of cloth and arranges it upon the counter suitably near and to the left of the measuring wheel 43. The free end of the cloth is passed between the plate 47 and the wheel 43 and such free end of the cloth is then drawn to the right. Assuming that the cloth is $3.00 a yard and it is desired to purchase 4-} yards of such cloth, the operator continues to draw the cloth to the right until the t appears in the opening 42 and the pointer 36 is disposed adjacent of the scale 37. \Vhen this is done, the operator turns to the $3.00 character in the scale 17 and adjacent this character will be found the calculation 26, indicating the cost of 4:} yards of cloth at $3.00 per yard which is $13.50. The cloth is then cut and when it is removed from contact with the wheel 43, the spring 24 automatically returns the different elements of the apparatus to the starting position.

It is to be understcod that the form of my invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same, and that various changes in the shape, size, and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim 1. In a machine of the character described, the combination with a relatively long main casing adapted to be arranged upon the innor edge of a counter without projecting thereabove for a substantial distance, and constructed so that a chart arranged therein is visible from the exterior thereof, of a pair of rolls arranged within the casing and extending longitudinally thereof, a calculating chart carried by the rolls and adapted to be wound from one to the other, a housing formed upon one end of the main casing and projecting above the same, a measuring wheel arranged at approximately a right angle to the rolls and pivotally connected with the housing and disposed upon the outer side thereof, means for holding cloth or the like in contact with the measuring wheel driving connecting means between the measuring wheel and one roll. and counting means driven by the measuring wheel.

2. In a machine of the character described, the combination with a substantially horizontal main casing adapted to be arranged near the edge of a counter without projecting above the same for a substantial distance, and constructed so that a chart arranged therein is visible from the exterior thereof, of a pair of substantially horizontal rolls arranged within the casing and extending longitudinally therein, a calculating chart carried by the rolls and adapted to be wound from one to the other, a substantially vertical housing formed upon one end of the main casing, a substantially vertical shaft journaled within the substantially vertical housing, driving connecting means between the lower end of the substantially vertical shaft and one roll, a substantially horizontal measuring wheel arranged upon one side of the housing at substantially a right angle thereto, a substantially horizontal shaft carrying the substantially horizontal measuring wheel, driving connecting means between the substantially horizontal shaft and the substantially vertical shaft, a plate arranged near and beneath the substantially horizon tal measuring wheel to hold cloth or the like in proximity to or in contact with such wheel, and counting means connected with the upper end of the substantially vertical shaft to be driven thereby.

3. In a machine of the character described, the combination with a substantially horizontal main casing adapted to be arranged near the edge of a counter, and constructed so that a chart arranged therein is visible from the exterior thereof, of a pair of substantially horizontal rolls disposed therein, a flexible chart connected with the rolls, means to turn one roll in one direction, a bevel gear connected with one end of the other roll, a substantially vertical housing carried by one end of the main casing near the said bevel gear, a substantially vertical shaft arranged within the housing, a bevel gear secured to the lower end of the substantially vertical housing and engaging the first named bevel gear, counting mechanism connected with the upper end of the housing and driven by the substantially vertical shaft, a substan-' tially horizontal shaft pivotally connected with on side of the housing. a bevel gear secured to one end of the substantially horizontal shaft, a bevel gear secured to the substantially vertical shaft and engaging the last named bevel gear, a substantially horizontal measuring wheel carried by the substantially horizontal shaft, and a resilient plate arranged near and beneath the measuring wheel.

4. In a machine of the character described, the combination with a relatively long main easing having a substantially flat top, said top being provided with a longitudinal opening and a price scale upon one side of the opening, the top being adapted to be substantially horizontally arranged at one edge of the counter to be substantially flush with the upper face thereof; upper and lower substantially horizontal rolls extending longitudinally within the main casing; a chart connected with the rolls to be wound from one to the other and having transverse columns for the reception of calculations to be arranged in proper sequence, the transverse columns being exposed through the longitudinal opening in the casing top and being designated by the figures in the price scale; a substantially vertical housing carried by one end of the main casing; a substantially vertical shaft arranged within the housing; driving connecting means between the lower end of the substantially vertical shaft and the adjacent end of the upper roll; a dial carried by the upper end of the housing and provided with a scale; a pointer connected with the upper end of the substantially vertical shaft and traveling in proximity to the last named scale; a substantially horizontal shaft pivotally connected with one side of the housing and disposed at substantially a right angle to the substantially vertical shaft; driving connecting means between the substantially horizontal shaft and the substantially vertical shaft; a substantially horizontal measuring wheel carried by the substantially horizontal shaft; and a cloth supporting element arranged near and upon one side of the measuring wheel.

In testimony whereof I atlix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ALCADA F. DODSON. lrVitnesses:

H. H. TI-IORPE, O. A. DODSON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each. by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

